Loose dogs in Globe lead to questions about jurisdiction

by David Abbott

Social media in Globe has recently exploded with stories of loose dogs threatening or attacking animals or people in public places or behind fences, but questions about jurisdiction and which government agency holds responsibility for the problem have led to a stalemate in enforcement.

“We don’t deal with it: We contract with animal control through Gila County,” says Globe Police Chief Dale Walters. “The County built a huge animal shelter, we contract with them and they deal with all that stuff.”

Walters added that the City might be involved in the initial call or complaint, but responsibility ultimately lies with Gila County Animal Control, a department of Health and Emergency Services.

But locals who have complained about the problem say officials will oftentimes say there is nothing that can be done because it is not their responsibility.

“Dogs are escape artists and can get out if their space is not secured, and it comes down to pet owners taking responsibility for their animals,” says local dog trainer Amanda Haas. “Often, dogs are rewarded for bad behavior and sometimes people are afraid of their own dogs. There are breeds that don’t like to be penned up.”

Haas has recently dealt with a pair of loose German Shepherds that have come to her training field on the east side of Globe. The dogs threatened 4-H students working their animals and have also killed the chickens of a neighbor below her property.

She says in recent weeks, the dogs have not been around, but believes it might be because someone told the owners their dogs would be killed if they kept it up and not because of any action by law enforcement.

“I think it was because of the uproar on social media about those two dogs and so many being pissed off about how they were killing chickens,” she says. “I have not seen them since.”

Jacob’s K-9 Field of Dreams—a training facility Haas built in memory of her late son for the 4-H dog club—is located off of Thornwood Drive in a part of Globe that is also under the jurisdiction of Gila County.

Given her long experience handling dogs in the area, Haas went straight to Animal Control with her complaints, but after an initial talk with officials, did not hear anything for more than a month.

Animal Control

The Gila County Animal Control Department is a division of Health and Emergency Services and provides services including rabies control, dog licensing, operation of a shelter for strays or unwanted animals, and investigating animal bites, rabies exposure, and citizen complaints. Additionally, they provide low-cost rabies clinics throughout Gila County, as well as adopting out healthy animals or reuniting animals with their owners.

In 2021, the County opened a large facility near the Gila County Fairgrounds, and according to Director John “JC” Castaneda, his department handles between 600-800 animals annually.

Casteneda has worked for animal Control for more than 30 years and was recently recognized as the Arizona Animal Control Association’s Animal Control Officer of the Year for his department’s work after the recent spate of fires and floods in the Globe-Miami area.

Casteneda says that his department gets calls about loose dogs “every day,” and that there seems to be an uptick recently.

“We have a county ordinance that deals with dogs at large,” Casteneda says. “When we receive calls, my officers are dispatched out to the area and we begin looking for the dog.”

The current Dog at Large ordinance No. 01-3 was adopted in January 2002 and defines “dogs at large” to be “off the premises of the owner or on the property of another person without the consent of that person,” or “not under direct control and physical custody or restraint by means of a leash, chain, rope or enclosure of the owner or other person responsible for the dog.”

Enforcement of the ordinance is the responsibility of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office or Gila County Rabies Control.

The ordinance prohibits allowing dogs to run loose off of the owner’s property; on any public street, sidewalk, or public park or thoroughfare. It also includes a leash law for any dog that is out in public.

There are a few exceptions, such as for training or exhibitions, but the ordinance clearly prohibits owners from letting their dogs run loose.

Owners who violate the ordinance are subject to a $500 fine for each violation once the matter is adjudicated in a hearing through the County Enforcement Agency.

Casteneda says his department responded to Haas’ complaints and even set traps out on her property and the surrounding area, but “never caught any of the dogs.”

Globe enforcement

In October 2014, the City of Globe entered into Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) No. 062014, contracting animal control services to Gila County. Globe pays the County $40,000 annually in monthly installments of $3,333.33.

Under the terms of the contract, the County agreed to accept any animals brought to the shelter by Globe police or residents. Additionally, County law enforcement “will respond to all calls within the Globe city limits” during regular business hours. After 5 p.m. and before 8 a.m., GPD takes on that responsibility “unless the calls involve an animal bite or a vicious animal.”

The County also agreed to take possession of unlicensed animals found running at large, animals exposed to animal cruelty, those quarantined after biting a person or other animal, as well as suffering or unwanted animals.

But ordinances and IGAs have not been helpful for Globe resident Ginnie Scales who is to the point where she is afraid to walk the few short blocks to Globe’s dog park on Noftsger Hill.

Scales says there are several dogs in her neighborhood that have been harassing her LOOSE DOGS Continued on page 9